Philips Blade 2: the IPS generation

Thin design, now with an improved panel

By David van DantzigWednesday 4 July 2012 05:59

Introduction

The market for PC monitors is dominated by very similar-looking designs. Once in a while a new display will come out that stands out against the crowd. Philips, for example, has its Blade series which are thin screens with an elegant design. Recently the Dutch manufacturer updated this product line, with the implementation of IPS panels being the foremost improvement. Hardware.Info tested the new Philips Blade 2 and compared it to other monitors with above-average colour rendering.

We are witnessing more and more IPS- and VA-based panels being used in computer monitors, but the majority still feature the traditional TN panel. If you've lost track of what the differences are between the different flatscreen panels, you can read our article that describes and compares each technology in detail. Philips is now part of the growing trend of non-TN panels, with the launch of the Blade 2.

The price of the 23-inch Blade 2 is about £165, which interestingly is not that much more than the original TN-based version we tested a little over a year ago. That said, you can find other IPS monitors for around £130. With the knowledge that Philips primarily differentiates itself by its logo from other brands by manufacturer TPV, the question is whether the price is right for this monitor. Reason enough for us to thoroughly test the new Philips Blade 2.